Kelowna mayor calls for bail reform as repeat offenders hit the streets
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Kelowna is feeling the strain of what Mayor Tom Dyas calls a “catch-and-release” justice system, as repeat offenders cycle back onto city streets.
In his latest column, Dyas highlighted a March 19 case in which a man with more than 400 police files and 67 convictions was granted bail.
“I was appalled,” Dyas wrote. “With a record like that, how can the system reasonably conclude that this person should be released?”
Bail decisions consider whether the accused will attend court, the likelihood of reoffending if released, and maintaining public confidence in the justice system. Yet just a week later, another man admitted to smashing the windows of four downtown businesses, causing thousands in damage. In court, he said simply, “I’m guilty of the crimes, so I’ll just leave it in your hands.”
